New Skating Program In Kearns Teaches Students To Get Active

KEARNS, Utah — There are some lessons elementary students can’t learn out of a textbook.

For example, ice skating.

“The confidence in these kids from day one to day five is amazing,” said Tiffany Kennard,  a skating instructor at the Utah Olympic Oval in Kearns.

Dozens of elementary students were learning how to figure skate at the rink Wednesday morning.

It was week 5 of a five-week courses.

Back in my day, I would have loved this type of school class! I’ll show you how good these students have it, but also the idea behind it all, tonight on @KSL5TV at 6. It’s a new program to try and help fight childhood obesity and gets kids active. #KSLTV @UtahOlympicOval pic.twitter.com/8Tj4g3UBQn

— Alex Cabrero (@KSL_AlexCabrero) April 10, 2019

You could see the confidence in many of the students as they were skating around the rink.

“90% of these kids were on the wall the very first class holding on for dear life,” said Kennard, with a laugh.

Now, many of them don’t need the wall.

“I really love it and it’s really fun,” said 6^th grader Natalie Romero.

It’s definitely a lot of fun, but there’s also a reason for this class these students might not realize.

“Our whole goal is to get these kids out leading a healthy, active lifestyle,” said Lisa Bennion Rasmussen, who works with the Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation.

The program is called Healthy Kearns Initiative. The idea is, since the Utah Olympic Oval is in Kearns, why not get elementary students in the area to be more active by inviting them to the Oval to learn how to skate.

 

“The statistics in Kearns, they’re challenging,” said Bennion Rasmussen. “They have a high rate of type II diabetes, high rate of asthma, and we want to help prevent that.”

Skating is one way to get kids moving. More than 700 students are participating in the program.

“Any kind of program where you can get your children out there to do something, whether it be skating or swimming or whatever, is beneficial,” said Linnette Pace, who was at the Oval to watch her daughter skate.

Pace’s daughter, Brooklyn Harms, loves skating.

“I have a lot of fun,” she said after trying some dance moves on the ice.

Her mother said she already notices a difference.

“It gives her exercise. It gives her something to do and make new friends. It gives her a whole other world that’s just so beneficial,” said Pace. “I am so proud of her. I had to convince her to go to the first session, but now I think she is really into it and she loves it.”

Skating can get expensive and not every student here might have the opportunity to try something like this.

However, another benefit of this program is its absolutely free, thanks to several donors.

“We provide transportation, instruction and the skates,” said Bennion Rasmussen.

In return, the students just skate and laugh.

And, you might notice, not a single one of them is playing with a cell phone.

“No they’re not,” said Kennard. “They’re getting exercise, they’re using their brains and their feet without looking at their feet. It’s kind of fun.”

It’s the kind of fun that could lead to a healthy lifestyle.